The Beat

JOHN RICCITIELLO

John Riccitiello: Changing and Growing

Today we announced some changes in EA’s organization that reflect how we create and distribute our games, as well as how we nurture the talent of our employees.

This is the first material re-organization since we established EA’s label structure in 2007. Our progress since then has been incredible. We executed against three transformational strategies: (1) Fewer, Better, Bigger, (2) Expanding our digital businesses, and (3) Tighter cost management. Our quality has risen dramatically. We’ve built an $800m+ digital business while pushing down operating costs. Not all of it was easy but looking back, it was exactly the right structure and priorities for the challenges we faced.

Now, we are switching from defense to offense. We’re focusing on building our intellectual properties/franchises into year-round business. We’ve established our own platform, Origin, and we continue to grow our digital business.

We are already seeing big returns on our investment in change. That’s why this is precisely the right time to update our organization. A few highlights that were announced today:

Peter Moore is now our Chief Operating Officer.

Frank Gibeau will serve as President of the EA Labels.

Our Label structure is expanding to four – EA Games, EA SPORTS, EA Play and BioWare.

Barry Cottle is heading up EA Interactive which now includes Playfish, Pogo, EA Mobile, our partnership with Hasbro, the online and mobile business in Asia and soon, PopCap.

Two final thoughts on the reorganization:

First, I think it’s a great reflection on EA that we are able to tap so much world-class leadership from within our own ranks. The depth of talent and leadership in this company is inspiring.

Second, as I look across EA and back on its history, I come to an important realization. The people who succeed here are the ones who map their creative vision over a deep understanding of what our consumers want. Our Label structure reflects that strategy. It creates a close partnership between developers and product marketers that connects the creative process to our consumers.

This is an exciting time. The opportunities are growing exponentially and EA is growing and changing to capture them.

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Comments (7)

almmassie+10

Dear EA
Have a question for the leaders of this company.
How is it a US Military Member stationed in Germany on a US Military base can not play a game. Had a friend login to my account and buy BF3 for me on Oct 25, 2011 but I still have to wait until Oct 27, 2011 to play. All because I have a german ISP.? And your tech support well start training them better because they have no idea. EA sad to say but I for one am done buying your brand. I am going to start spreading the word to boycott your company. Alot of US military members play the BF series and it's truly a waste that the ones stationed oversea's cannot.
SGT Massie, Abert
US Army
Warner Barracks
Bamberg, Germany

Oct 26, 2011

0 Replies

Jantui00

Dear EA can you put some of those huge profits that you have squeezed and got, back into a better customer support system and get some fully trained up CS personnel that answer the phone as iv been trying and have given up trying to get in contact with your customer support system for a few days

Dec 22, 2011

0 Replies

frankie2963+10

The thing about change is it is good only if your CS is accessible....I have been looking for a way to contact CS for Pogo for a few days now and cannot locate a number to reach them...Please make a few more changes and make them easier to find...thanx

Jan 10, 2012

0 Replies

overpay00

How the heck do I contact pogo! My account payment is not due till MEMBER ( Since: Jul 27, 2006 ) JULY !!!!
AND I CAN'T GET IN NOW! YOUR TRYING TO MAKE ME PAY NOW ! IT'S ONLY JANUARY !
TURN MY ACCOUNT BACK ON NOW OR I WON'T BE RENEWING IT WHEN IT IS DUE !

Jan 21, 2012

0 Replies

ronsjemmi@aol.comComment Flagged+20

How the heck does one get into live chat with a pogo advisor??? I have been having a problem getting in to my favorite game, Crossword Cove, since October 2011! EA customer experience has been giving me the run around since then. I appreciate them trying to help me but nothing they suggest works. I have been a club pogo member since 2003 and am really getting tired of the run around.

Jan 22, 2012

0 Replies

MerMer19466600

I need to speak with a "live chat advisor" regarding being billed for two accounts and being unable to log in to either one